Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-02-24
10th Congressional Session.
WASHINGTON, Feb. %, 1887.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 90, 1887.
SENATE.-The agricultural department
| Dill was taken up. Several amendments re
ported by the Senate committee were agreed
| to. The amendment providing for the
| transfer of the signal service bureau to the
| department of agriculture and labor was
agreed to, being further amended by limiting
the transfer to "the weather service
The conference report on the pension ap-
preparation bill was presented and agreed to.
| After further discussion the section in the
! agricultural department bill transferring the
| weather service of the signal bureau to the
| new department was agreed to, 81 to 10, and
7 the bill was passed without division and a
conference asked. The bill creates a new
department to be known as the department
OF agriculture and labor with a secretary
and assistant secretary. commissioner of
labor will be at the head of the bureau of
labor. The weather service of the signal
corps is to be transferred to the new depart
ment July next. The chief signal officer of
the army may be assigned to the charge of
the bureau until chief of the bureau is ap
pointed and confirmed.
The Senate then took up the pleuro pneu
monia bill. Mr.. Mcpherson moved to post
pone it until tomorrow and take up the
joint resolution providing for an investiga-
ton of the Pacific railroads; lost, yeas 81,
nays 81.
Mr.. Van Wyck suggested in view of the
Importance of the matter that Friday be des-
1gnated for its consideration. Mr.. Edmunds
objected.
Mr.. Evarts moved to reconsider the vote
by which bill was passed for a judicial de-
termination of the rights of citizens of the
United States In certain railroad lands in
Florida. Some discussion followed and the
motion to reconsider was defeated.
Mr.. Frye made an appeal to the Senate to
take up and consider q message from the
President vatniDO hill that yUnn16 allow ar.
rearages of pension to Thomas S. Hopkins
Hopkins had served through the war
Towards the close he was transferred to the
invalid corps on account of nervous exhaus-
ton. For twelve years after the close CT the
war he was occasionally stricken down with
his old disease, but early in 1873 he had been
stricken and since then, or for nine years,
had never stood on his feet. For two years
he could not lift a spoon. Two months
ago he was carried to the Senator's
room reclining chair
and there told his story. Congress passed
bill opening the door to him to apply for ar
rears and that bill the President vetoed, but
because he had not the information which he
(Mr. Frye now gave the Senate. The Presi
dent said this was dangerous door to open,
hut during the whole two years that it was
open under the law this man had not the
power to avail himself of it.
After further statements the bill was pass
6. The nays-Messrs. Beck, Berry, Black
burn, Coke, Harris and Vance.
The Senate then at $3.50 adjourned.
HoUsE-Mr. Belmont, of New York, from
committee on foreign affairs reported the
House bill substitute for the Senate retalia-
ton bill and under the special order asked
for its immediate consideration.
Mr.. Rice, of Massachusetts, raised the point
of order that the substitute affects the reve-
I I.
OF the whole.
The Speaker overruled the point.
After some discussion as to the limit of
debate it was finally determined that it
should be limited to three hours.
Mr.. Belmont dwelt upon the Importance
of the subject. The question was whether
the United States was willing to acquiesee in
repeated violations of the treaty. He did not
think the Senate bill was sufficiently specific
in directing the President how to act and for
that reason he favored the present substi-
tute.
Mr.. Rice said there should be DO party in
a question of this Importance. 1t was one
that affected the nation. Something must
be done to protect our honor. During the
past year hundred of our vessels have been
subjected to search and some of them to
seizure by the Canadians. A vessel named
Grover Cleveland had been stopped and
vessel named T. F. Bayard had been warned
off as a suspicious character. He favored
the Senate bill; it covered every necessity of
the case. The substitute bill suggested
of our treaty obligations with
Great Britain. We did not want nor could
we afford a war with Great Britain. One
year of exclusion of Canadian fish would
bring to end all the injuries which were
being perpetrated upon our fishermen.
After an exhaustive discussion of the
merits and defects of the substitute and
Senate bill Mr.. Hit, of Illinois, said the
Secretary of State had not been fortunate in
dealing with this question which had baffled
our statesmen for fifty years. The Senate
bill was retaliation in kind, always the most
efficient process. It has been tried with
Spain with success.
Mr.. Dingey moved to amend the substi-
tute rendering liable to seizure and forfeit
u1e any vessel found engaged in taking fish
within three miles of the United States coast.
It was agreed to.
The substitute then by a vote of 1873 to
1913 was agreed to and the Senate bill as
amended was passed by vote of 252 to 1.
The nay vote was cost by Mr.. Dougherty, of
Florida.
The House went into committee on the SEN
ate amendments to the postofice bill. Mr..
of Louisiana, expressed his ap
proval of the amendment appropriating
$500, 900 for foreign mail service with Cen
trail and South America and believing that
the policy of the amendment if carried out
would build up our foreign carrying trade,
and Messrs. Martin of Alabama, Curtin of
King of Louisiana, Burrows
of Michigan and Tillman of South Carolina
all spoke in favor of the amendment.
The committee and reported the bill
to the House with recommendation that the
be non concurred in. The vote
was postponed until to morrow.